I played Elton John's "Your Song" today for my beginning english class (week 2). They don't really like Elton in Hungary because he is gay. Around here that is not a word you say in public. Gays exist, but nobody would say they know one. Think Oscar Wilde era. My roommate, Krisztian, a contemporary dancer, is gay but here no one would think that...though in America we assume a male dancer is - can there be such a thing as a straight dancer?

But, on the other hand the clubs (and there are now 8, as one just opened - though it is faced with windows, so no one wants to go in there because they might be seen by someone walking by) are very lively with a very open and friendly scene. Every club has a midnight drag show 3-4 times a week (one has 2 on Saturday night - too much!) and then you dance (to American & Hungarian techno music) until 4 am. On Saturday night one club, the Angel Bar, is packed with at least 200 young men (ages 18-40+) of all shapes and sizes (and ethnicities!). Even though it's literally closeted, it's a very healthy scene. Less trendy then America (not so depressing either), probably because when not at the clubs these men are as straight as anyone else. There are some queens and you see them in public, but they are like tourists and are avoided like flies. Around here the clubs are not advertised as gay bars but as "private clubs." Only 2 have a name sign on the door that can be read from the street, the others have small hidden plaques that say the name and "private" - in front of doors that are incredibly inconspicuous and look simply like a side door to a building, nothing fancy or noticable. One bar doesn't even have a sign and is in the basement of a building. The only way to find it is to have someone show you where it is. Very dark, smokey, crowded and rough and is aptly called the "Action Bar" and for men only. It has a dark room in the back (with a TV showing porno) for the uninhibited.... I don't like it there, but went in once and it was so crowded the only place I found to stand was 2 feet from the stage where a Go-Go boy was dancing, waist at eye level!

My roommate has trouble imaging the "gay scene" in America, which is so open and public. For him, the fact that homosexuality is a taboo subject is normal - and being here one cannot imagine it any other way in this culture, thus it becomes very normal for me. It's sort of the mind your own business situation. It's nobody's business what I do.

The other taboo subject is the Jews. They have such a terrible history and they are still not liked and many of the Hungarians think that America is all Jews! But, other than that no other subjects are taboo.

Well, these are just some mumblings for now that were on my mind. I'm currently putting together a longer letter to update everyone on my life's status, now over a month.

Until later
Sziasztok Budapest-bol!
~ Aron